1955 Buick Special fuel problems

I recently purchased this car and went out for a ride this afternoon.

the car has the smaller V8 nailhead (265?) and i started to have some fuel issues. Prev owner said the engine is completely original and that the original pump was rebuilt 4 yrs ago.

The car was driven for 45 minutes and then started to die. I was able to keep pumping on the accelerator and i worked my way through it in about a minute and continued on my way. About 15 minutes later i parked it and shut off the engine. Upon my return about 5 minutes later the car would not start or even sputter. I put a little carb cleaner in it and it tried to sputter to life but that is about it. I checked the fuel line prior to the carb and was not able to get any fuel through it when i hit the starter. Thinking that the fuel line may be clogged at the tank i forced air through the line and heard it in the tank. I then forced air through the filler cap and it produced a healthy amount of gas through the line. The only thing i can think of next is that the fuel pump has failed. Is there anything else i should be looking for? Vacuum? Thanks in advance and i will keep you updated.

Nice looking fitty fibe you got there. Love the color scheme. You may want to back up and introduce yourself in the Introduction thread, some folks here are more prone to help if they know you. http://forums.aaca.org/showthread.php?t=290500&page=39&p=1416588#post1416588 Then at some point you may want to introduce your car in the "Me and My Buick" forum. http://forums.aaca.org/

If you have fuel moving between the tank and pump when pressurizing the tank but are not getting fuel between the pump and the carb then yea, you may have a bad fuel pump. If you have the original engine and carb, I would also check the little flat pancake filter on the back of the carb. That is most often the point of fuel blockage if the car has sat for a time and debris/varnish is coming from the tank.

If you are new to Buicks, this list of vendors may be of help. http://forums.aaca.org/f115/important-beneficial-threads-helpful-info-370068.html

I think Bob's offers both the kit for the pump as well as rebuilt pumps if you send your core.

Nice 55. The engine is a 264 cubic inch if I'm not mistaken.

Very striking paint combo, and the Roadmaster covers always add to the effect.

Before you condemn the fuel pump, try this: after you force air through the filler and demonstrate gas at the carb, see if the fuel pump will pump with pressure (~5#). The pump will pump liquid well, but is not very efficient at pumping air through an empty line. If it pumps with pressure, the pump is probably ok. Your problem could have been caused by the highly volatile available fuel resulting in vapor lock (created air or vapor in the line) and carburetor percolation (gas in the carb boiled into the intake manifold leaving it dry. The fuel formulated for winter use will boil at or near 100*F and everything under the hood is over 100*. I had vapor lock in central Texas a few months ago when the outside temperature was 50*

If the pump does not pump even with a line full of liquid, then it needs to be rebuilt. A failure like this could be a valve malfunctioning or the diaphragm torn. A torn diaphragm can lead to gasoline in the crankcase, so you would need to check for that.

All 55's will benefit from installation of an electric fuel pump near the tank. I use a toggle switch to fill the carb if the car has been sitting for more than a few day as well as to correct vapor lock.

Willie

What Willie said.

Ethanol is NO good !!

I've not had vapor lock issues. I add 4 ounces of Marvel Mystery oil to the Fuel. I also recently found a non-ethanol gas station. (I've only topped off the tank with eight gallons of non-ethanol;, so far)

But if it sits for more than 24 hours , I have to crank it a long time, and use a prime. Carb cleaner is a good choice, Or, penetrating oil. (NEVER use ether !)

Thank you for all the good information. I think that vapor lock may be the culprit. I noticed the other day that it acted like it was being starved for fuel again so i parked it and couple of hours later it started right up.

I have an electric fuel pump located near the gas tank and prime the carburetor when it has been sitting for a while. Also, I run a 50/50 mix of premium fuel and 100 LL Av gas once a year. That really perks them up.

Ethanol?  I think the correct pronunciation is "Deathanol."

I have had to replace the fuel pump in each of my 4 vintage cars because of that stuff.  Now I only use non-ethanol gas.  Lesson learned.

Ethanol?  I think the correct pronunciation is "Deathanol."

 

I have had to replace the fuel pump in each of my 4 vintage cars because of that stuff.  Now I only use non-ethanol gas.  Lesson learned.

 

I recently found a gasoline station that sells non-ethanol gasoline.

I'll be buying from them

Now I only use non-ethanol gas.

​Wish there was such an animal around here. We are too green for our own good though.

I don't think it is a green thing in Texas. How did the oil lobby around here let this happen?

I don't think it is a green thing in Texas. How did the oil lobby around here let this happen?

I think you'd better back-date to the first "high altitude oxygenated fuel" used in the Denver area to help combat the high CO levels in the wintertime. Back when we had mostly carburetors in the middle 1980s. Then it was ReFormulatedGas in CA in the earlier 1990s, with up to about 5% ethanol.

Consider that ethanol is a "fuel extender" of sorts. More ethanol = less crude oil needed, which was the big reason for MORE ethanol = energy independence, a while back.

Rather than "big oil", which adapts its products to various factors, including government regulations/'trends, but "big ag" and the same people that have given us genetically-modified CORN (think ArcherDanielMidland, which sells corn "seed") and its powerful lobby operatives in certain areas of the world. I suspect that EVERY study that was done and concluded how great E15+ would be for us was funded by such operatives.

Jay Leno was recently quoted as saying that Ethanol should go the way of prohibition. GONE. Unfortunately, with a good bit of state legislation geared toward and mentioning ethanol specifically, this won't happen anytime soon.

Fuel pump diaphrams are supposed to be made of an ethanol-resistant neoprene compound, which does resist ethanol pretty well, as I understand it, but once that diaphragm is allowed to dry out as the vehicle sits for extended periods of time, the diaphragm can become brittle and fail (from a previous ethanol thread in these forums). The fuel pump is the most noticeable item we might see, but don't forget about the rubber fuel lines between the tank and the fuel pump!! Ethanol "dries" these rubber lines from the inside out, so if ANY leaks or smells are detected from ANY part of the vehicle, they need to be investigated IMMEDIATELY. And, as Mr. Stoneberg has mentioned, a large fire extinguisher is more necessary now than ever (in the car itself).

NTX5467

As for the "keep running" problem, I had something similar with my '68 5467. I could be driving along the highway just fine and then it'd start acting like it was running out of gas. I could, many times, start pumping the accel pedal quickly and it'd pick back up. Sometimes as I coasted to the side of the road and tried to get it to restart. Sometimes, when it would, it might not idle, so more throttle input was needed. The "fast idle" gear engagements proved how solid that drivetrain is, as I tried to keep the rh rear wheel on dirt.

In earlier times (after I got it), it would be sitting there idling and the rpm would start dropping. Pumping the throttle would usually bring it back again. Fresheningtghe "tune-up" items didn't help, either.

It was random and didn't matter how much gas was in the tank. When I got industrious and changed the fuel pump, it suddenly ran smoother and better than ever. That fixed it. I also discovered "why" the two fuel pump bolts are DIFFERENT on those engines, related to which hole they go in!!!

Must have been a check valve that had a "flaky spot" on it or something. One of my late uncles had a similar issue with his '60 LeSabre (along about 1967 or so). Intermittent "quiting". We disassembled the Carter fuel pump in my grandmother's back yard one afternoon, got a rebuild kit, and found a keeper on one of the check valves was failing. He re-bent the tang and it worked for another 150 miles or so, to get them closer to home in east Texas before it failed again. In those days when not everybody had wired phones, a good guy (in an Olds) stopped to assist.

DO check the fuel lines between the pump and the fuel tank. Also check the ensure the correct gas cap in on the tank, too, and that any "tank vents" are also unobstructed under the car, for good measure. PLUS that the accel pump in the carburetor is working strongly and consistently!

Your Buick looks too beautiful to be parked!

Pleas advise on your progress.

NTX5467

I don't think it is a green thing in Texas. How did the oil lobby around here let this happen?

Because the oil companies like it this way.  First, ethanol is cheap octane booster so the crude does not need as much refining; second, added ethanol gives poorer fuel economy resulting in about the same amount of crude used.